


Boundaries

by killjoywhatsername



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alcohol, Armitage Hux Has Feelings, Fade to Black, Fluff and Angst, Kylo Ren Has Issues, M/M, POV Hux, Sarcasm, Supreme Leader Kylo Ren, Virgin Kylo Ren, these nerds talk about feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-16
Updated: 2018-06-16
Packaged: 2019-05-24 06:55:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,672
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14949758
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/killjoywhatsername/pseuds/killjoywhatsername
Summary: Ren has feelings. Hux has alcohol. Together they deal with life.





	Boundaries

**Author's Note:**

> This has been sitting in my drafts forever and I finally wanted to type it out. It's a beautiful mess of feels if you ask me.

Hux scanned his palm allowing him access to the his quarters. The doors opened with a hiss and walked in, no longer wanting to be bothered by anyone. He had just spent the better part of the night making nice with the galaxy’s elite and many other Force Order commanders. He hated the lot of them. He knew what they thought of him, none of them thinking he was deserving of his position. Jealous idiots. 

He shrugged off his coat, tossing it on his couch. That was the kind of night he was having. Any other time he would be sure to hang it up but now he was in no mood.

“Why do you put up with them?” Ren spoke. Hux was almost startled, though he was more angry that at himself that he didn’t notice the force user sitting there. He blamed that mystic bullshit, but two years of being on the Finalizer with the force user made him lose that reaction quickly. Still, he did not appreciate him being in his quarters while he was not present.

The new minted Supreme Leader was sitting on Hux’s bed petting Millicent. Hux felt a pang of betrayal at the sight of the orange tabby cuddling up against Ren. Little orange hair already covered the Ren’s black outfit. Millie hardly let anyone but Hux touch her, the only other two being Phasma or Rae. Hux recalled one time when he has Dolpheld to watch the cat when he returned back from his mission the lieutenant was covered in scratches.

Hux decided it must have been some force nonsense. 

“Really? Must you invade my private quarters?” He asked through the both knew he was deflecting. Ren had no issues with invading people’s personal space. He probably never learned the words ‘personal space’ in his life. 

“Boundaries were drilled into me as soon as I was born. I was never good at adhering to them.” Ren said. Silence fell between the two until Ren spoke again, “You didn’t answer my question, General.”

“I wasn’t aware I looked bothered by anything.”

“You didn’t look it, but you were.” Millie finally hopped off of Ren’s lap and went bu Hux’s legs, putting her head against his feet and purring until he scooped her up. Hux wondered if she could sense his annoyance. The answer was probably yes.

Ren spoke again, “I have my suspicions, but I want to hear you say it.”

Hux sighed. There really was no way around it. Ren would either keep pestering him or force it out of him with his mind tricks. 

“They think I’m your whore. I didn’t work my way to my position just by sucking cock.: Hux said honestly. He was not ashamed of his past. Most of his sexual exploits had nothing to do with his promotions, only one in the early days. If anything, most of his encounters took place during his academy days.

Ren raised an eyebrow at this, “You whored yourself out for a promotion?”

Hux decided if this is where his night was headed he would need a drink. He put Millie down, much to her dismay, and went over to a cabinet where he kept the alcohol. He poured two glasses of whiskey, afterwards he went to hand one to Ren.

Ren shook his head, “No thank you. I don’t drink.” 

This time it was Hux who raised an eyebrow. “Don’t or haven’t tried?” He was aware of some of the oddities of the knight. He wouldn’t put it past Snoke to enforce some vow of abstinence in the name of force user mystic bullshit.

“Snoke told me to never drink it. It’ll keep me unfocused.” Amazing, Hux never tired of being right.

“Snoke is dead, “ Hux handed him the glass regardless of his objections, “You saw to that. A glass will take the edge off, it will not get you completely knackered.”

“How did you know I’m the one who killed Snoke? And who uses the word knackered?” Ren asked, looking down at the amber liquid in his glass disdainfully.

“It doesn’t take a genius to know the girl couldn’t have taken him down. He was only going to be defeated in a surprise attack, or by Skywalker.” Hux said, taking a generous swig from his drink.

The force user’s dark eyes narrowed at him. “You thought about his demise quite a bit because of your ambition to rule the galaxy.”  

“If you’re going to play psychologist, Ren, I suggest you try telling me something I don’t know.”

“I regret killing my father. How did you feel no remorse over killing yours?” Ren asked casually as if he was talking about the color of Millicent’s fur.

At this Hux downed the rest of his drink and moved to pour himself another one. There were many things he hated discussing, Brendol Hux was at the top of that list. “Wouldn’t you rather just fuck? It’s infinitely better than this discussion I assure you.”

“Today is Wookie Life Day” Ren replied rather glumly, ignoring Hux. He was staring into his glass looking like his mind was a thousand miles away.

“What?”

“A celebration day. It was his favorite day. Him and Chew- they loved it. I would always grumble about it but I liked it too. The party was always huge, noisy, lots of people, but fun.” Hux could hear the smile in his voice. 

The ginger general sighed and  straightened up, looking at at the force user with some understanding. “That, right there is the difference. You have some good memories with your father. You had a complicated relationship. Brendol and I did not. Our relationship was not complicated, but rather set from the beginning. He hated me the second he found out my mother was pregnant and I hated him as soon as I was able to think coherently.”

Silence fell between them. Hux didn’t know how or why they went down this path of conversation. He certainly never spoke about Brendol this much to anyone. Not to Rae, not to Phasm, anyone. Maybe it was because Ren seemed so genuinely distraught, maybe it had to with the fact that Ren and him  barely knew each other and therefore he could count on the fact that Ren would not pity him. The ;lack of wanting pity was most likely why Ren came to him anyways. 

“I.” Ren started then cleared his throat. “What Skywalker said, calling me kid, having the dice. He knew I was still conflicted.” 

Hux sat down next to Ren. He didn’t particularly care about this conversation, but he was pleased to learn his suspicions about Skywalker’s manipulations were true. “If you keep insisting I play therapist we need to discuss changing my title again. “Hux said exasperated. The best way it seemed he knew how to deal with other people’s problems was through sarcasm. He guessed that it was better than just blasting them which was probably Ren’s go to method if the Finalizer was any indication. 

He was the least qualified person on this ship to deal with Ren’s problems. The knight needed a team of professionals, and even then they wouldn’t get too far.

Still, they would be better than Hux.

“Hux.”Ren said, not giving into the bait. Instead he just stared at him with those deep brown eyes. It was almost like looking into space itself. 

“I’m not going to tell you that everything will be alright, because that is isn’t. You and I chose this side, we like this side, well at least I do. There is no going back from the things we have done and you’ll just have to accept that and keep going, especially now that you are the Supreme Leader. You’ve done fine these past few days, but it is only going to get harder, especially when we defeat your mother and the scavenger.” He wasn’t going to mince his words or lie to Ren and tell him a bunch of platitudes to placate him. If Ren insisted on having this discussion then he needed to hear the truth.

“I know. Her, uh, her life force has been getting weaker since her attack, and then with Crait, and with Luke,” Ren said with a shake of his head, “I just wish I knew I could do this. You know? Rule efficiently.”

“You can.”

Ren looked down in his still full glass of whiskey, swirling it around. “You’re not just saying that.” It wasn’t a question.

“Do I seem like someone who has to make other feel better?” If you’re going to wallow in self pity, you might as well drink.” 

  
Ren looked like he was going to protest, but ultimately drank the drink in one go. Hux almost laughed at the face he made at the aftertaste. His nose scrunched up and lips pursed. “People find this enjoyable?”

Hux smirked, “More so the effects of it.”

Ren frowned, “I don’t feel anything.”

Hux forgot what it was like dealing with inexperienced drinkers, not that he ever had much experience dealing with them. He started drinking when he was young and most of his peers at the academy drank at a young age too. 

“You have to keep drinking to feel anything, especially given your size.” Hux said, he was beginning to feel his own drink take effect. He felt looser and more relaxed, and just a bit warmer. 

Ren reached out and the bottle of whiskey flew to his hand. He held it with ease and poured himself another drink.

Hux vaguely wondered if it was the best move for the two highest ranking members of the Order to get drunk together, especially with Phasma gone and no one to oversee things. Then Ren spoke again, snapping Hux out of his thoughts.

“You really miss Phasma I knew you tolerated her more than most, but I didn’t think you were that close.”

Hux took another swig from his drink. His thoughts went back to when he asked Phasma to kill his father. He couldn’t do it himself for a myriad of practical reasons, but they both knew there was deeper reasons as well and that no matter how much Hux may have said to have hated the man, and he really hated the man, if he was being honest with himself, he cared about Brendol. Some part of him would always want his father’s affection and approval, no matter how impossible and illogical it was to want that. It was why he understood Ren’s emotions better than most, though, he suspected it was harder on Ren since his parents seemed, imperfect, yes. Negligent? Of course, but at their core, good people. Brendol was no such person.

But turning his thoughts back to Phasma. She did as he asked that night with no questions. She helped him in ways she never knew. When he rose to General and this war really began, she was there by his side. She was a voice of reason to talk to and was never afraid to tell him what she really thought. She was a sounding board for his plans for Starkiller Base, and he did the same when she was reconstructing the stormtrooper program. She always was profession during work hours, but on the off hours she would tease him and coax the occasional card game or drink out of him. She would also, much to his embarrassment (most of the time) and her amusement (all of the time), try to set him out with other officers. She was his only friend on the ship.

Millicent began to purr as Ren scratched her her behind her ears. It reminded Hux he wasn’t alone in the room. 

“Yes, well, we rose through the ranks together.” Hux said, hating how his voice gave away his emotions on the subject.

“She saw you before you were the great General Hux.”

“I’m great, now?” Hux deflected, finishing his drink and grabbing the bottle to pour himself another. He was debating whether or not he wanted to tell Ren about the true nature of  Brendol’s death. He knew that Hux had killed him, he didn’t know that it was Phasma who actually did the deed. 

“The alcohol must have been taking effect,” Ren said, he might’ve been right if the redness of his cheeks were any indication, “But you were friends.” He added, showing he wasn’t going to let the topic go.

“The people who know people like us, before we came to power, are the only people who really us.” Hux replied.

“I hate that thought.” Ren half pouted. Really, what a child.

“It’s true.”

“Everyone who knew me as a kid are dead or almost there.” Kylo said, grabbing the bottle and pouring himself another. Hux could relate. There was Phasma who was now dead and Rae who had disappeared after Snoke tried to have her killed.

He straightened up in his seat a little bit. With everything going on he never thought about it, but with Snoke dead, would Rar want to talk to him? She wouldn’t have any reason to stay in hiding anymore. If he could track her down he could talk to her. She’d hate it, and probably chastise him for even thinking about it, but it was something he found himself wanting to do.

Really, he could kill Ren for making him this nostalgic.

Ren just kept talking, ignoring the Hux’s obvious silence, “There’s a few of the knights that knew me, but they are always off on missions and between you and me, they are really boring.” Ren said the last part in a hushed tone like they were children gossiping and not two of the most ruthless men in the galaxy.

“And I’m not boring?” Hux asked. He had certainly heard he was from several low ranking officers when they thought he wasn’t around. Phasma would tease him about his intense work ethic all the time.

“Obviously you’re interesting or else I wouldn’t have kept you alive.” He said it so carelessly that it reminded Hux just how malicious the force user could be. It was a wonder that anyone ever thought he’d stay content following the Jedi. Though, Hux supposed, that was probably part of the reasons he went to the ‘dark side’. Too many people trying to convince him to be good and never have an impure thought.

At that Hux let out a puff air that resembled a laugh.

Kylo’s face darkened, “Why is that funny?”

Hux was honestly surprised that there wasn’t a tightness around his throat.

“Stay out of my head, Ren.” He said evenly.

“Answer my question, General.”

Hux sighed, trying to not roll his eyes. “The whole dark side, light side alignments. You, Snoke, your family., everyone is determined to put people into boxes when really it’s so trivial. You can do despicable things and still have moments of good, just like you could be good and do horrible things. No one is wholly evil or wholly good. It makes no sense to try to be pure evil like Snoke wanted because it’s impossible.”

He didn’t mean to quite rant like that, but really he never understood where all this nonsense thinking came from or why so many people prescribed to it. Looking at Ren, he was surprised by the look in the force user’s eyes. They weren’t filled with anger, but rather they looked surprised with maybe a hint of warmth. 

“Snoke said I have too much of my father’s heart in me. Do you think that will affect my leadership?” He asked and if Hux didn’t know better he would say Ren sounded tentative, but that was so unlike the brash knight that he had worked with all these years. 

“For one thing, Snoke is dead. We’ve been over this. I would be staging a coup if I thought you were incapable of leading.”

“And you’re not.” Ren said definitively. 

“And I’m not,” Hux agreed. He admits, he thought about when the Supremacy went down and the First Order was in dire straits. Days after though, Ren proved himself as a very capable leader. Hux wrote off plans of a couple and decided it’d be best to support Ren.

Besides, a coup would only hurt the Order. Conquer, not divide, was the strategy for now.

“Why not?” Ren asked, a hint of suspicion tainting his voice.

Hux rolled his eyes, “Ren, we’ve talked enough. You know why and I’m going to say--” Before he could finish his sentence Ren’s lips were crashing against it. It startled Hux, but he found himself relaxing into the kiss. He grabbed Ren by the collar of his shirt and pulled him closer, hungrily. Much like everything he did, he was going to give it his all.

When they finally broke apart Ren was the first to speak. “Why, General, I didn’t think you cared.”

“You are the one that kissed me, you bantha.” Hux defended not allowing the blush to creep up on his cheeks. The energy in the room changed, things were much lighter and almost happy now. The tension was broken and for the moment it seemed like they were just two normal adults who had a good moment.

Ren laughed, a deep and rich sound. “You nearly ripped my shirt.”

Well that, Hux couldn’t deny. He may have gotten carried away. He just smirked smugly and said, “You have other shirts. I don’t think you know other colors exist for clothing.”

“You wear your uniform almost exclusively.” Ren said, a broad grin breaking out on his face. It was dazzling. Kriff. He just made out with that mouth, and he wanted to do so much more with it.

“Ren?”

“Yeah?”

“Shut up.” Hux grabbed Ren and pulled him in for round two. This time he made sure to yank on the fabric hard causing it to tear. Ren just laughed, a pleased sound rumbling against him. Hux found himself wanting to hear more of it.

He then moved to take Ren’s shirt off. Ready for where the rest of the night was going to take them. 

But then Ren took his hand and stopped him, “What are you doing?”

“I really want that Grand Marshal title.” Hux said. Ren’s face didn’t seem to tell that he got the joke. He looked almost pale and more than a little conflicted. Hux decided to clarify, “Ren, I’m kidding. I want this. You can read minds for Kriff sake, you know I want this.”

Ren relaxed some, but still looked tense. “It’s not that. I. Well. I’ve never done this before.”

Hux didn’t mean to pull back as sharply as he did, but he was just so surprised. “You’ve never had sex?”

“Right.” Ren mumbled, looking down and not meeting Hux’s eyes. Not a look that Hux liked to see on him.

Hux put his hand under Ren’s chin, forcing him to look up. “It’s fine, Ren. As long as you’re okay with it. We’ll take it slow or we don’t have to do it all. Whatever you feel comfortable with.” Hux was many things, but he always made sure his partners enjoyed the experience too. 

Ren looked cautious, “You’re fine with it being my first time? I know some people--”

He stopped Ren mid sentence, “I’m not like most people.,” He began to kiss his down his neck, “besides this means I can ruin you for the others.” He bit down enough to mark on Ren for a days, scraping his teeth against his skin. Ren groaned in response.

* * *

 

Hux woke up feeling good. He hadn’t felt this good since, well, he couldn’t remember feeling this good. The last time he felt this good was around time they finished Starkiller. He looked over at Ren who was still sound asleep.  It was amazing to him how peaceful the fearsome Kylo Ren looked while he was fast asleep, no worries haunting him.

He looked at the time on his holopad. They could have another hour though the crew were probably wondering where he was. There were rumors Hux was an android for how much he worked. Some thought he lived on the ship’s bridge.

Luckily, none of them would guess what he had actually been doing. 

He just hoped that Mitaka had everything running smoothly in their absence. 

He sat upm not entirely sure what to do. Usually by this time his one night stand would have left. However, nothing about about this situation was normal. Milliencet hopped up on the bed, situating herself between the two.

Hux petted her behind the ears and in turn she lightly purred.

“I’ve been neglecting you these past few months, sorry about that.” He said. He felt restless but didn’t want to wake Ren. Since he wasn’t going to be moving anytime soon he decided to spend some time with his cat.

With everything happening with the Order, especially with Snoke in charge, left very little time for anything. He barely had time for himself let alone his pet. 

“Snoke was a nerf herder.” Ren murmured softly. Hux was startled, he wasn’t expecting Ren to wake up so soon, but then he found himself smiling.

“Nerf herder.”

“My mom used to call my dad that sometimes.” Ren’s eyes opened. He was more alert but he looked like he surprised himself. “I can’t believe I just called him that. It’s such a stupid insult.” He laughed, low and rumbling. Soon, Hux was laughing too.

Not wanting to talk about Snoke anymore while they were still lying naked in bed, Hux went for a change of subject. “How are you feeling?”

“Really good. You’re certainly skilled, Grand Marshal.”

Hux smirked, “So my plan worked? I get the title?”

“If we keep this up, you can have my title.” Ren said, leaning up for a kiss.

Hux kissed him back and when they broke apart Hux smiled, “If that’s the case, how about I introduce you to shower sex?”


End file.
